Ignition mechanism



R. F. MEYER,

IGNITION MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1920.

1,392,431. Patented 0ct.4,1921.

PAT NT OFFICE.

nALPH r. MEYER, on EREEPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 19:21.

Application filed May 19, 1920. Serial No. 382,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH F. MEYER, a citizen of the United :States, residing at Freeport, in the countyof Armstrongand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Mechanism; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the. invention, such aswill enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in ignition mechanism for internal combustion engines and for a complete understanding of the same, it may be stated that in jumpspark ignition, there are two kinds of elec tric current used, first there is the primary or low tension current obtained from any suitable source, such as a battery or dynamo. This is the current which passes the contact points of all the various timers including the one forming the subject matter of my invention.

Second, there is likewise a secondary or high tension current which is obtained by passing the primary current through the primary windings of a transformer coil and then interrupting said current. Then the primary current is interrupted, a high tension current is induced in the secondary windings of the transformer coil, which in the high tension timers, is that which is distributed by the timing brush to the several spark plugs. The present device differs from the secondary or high tension timers in that th primary current alone passes through both the contact points and timing brush and thence to the primary windings of a separate individual transformer coil for each cylinder, and the secondary winding of each transformer coil is in direct connec tion with the spark plug of a particular cylinder, thus differing from all known devices. The present'timeris primarily a contact making device anditperforms its functions when the contact points are brought together. It will, however, function as a contact maker and interrupter in case a transformer coil without vibrator, is used. Its purpose is to conduct or distribute a primary current of electricity from any source to the individual vibratoror. transformer coil of each cylinder of an internal combustion motor,at the proper time. This primary current is alow-tension one and passes in time through both'the contact points and timin brush to the individual transformer coil of each individual cylinder, thus differlng materially from the secondary or high tension current timers in which the primary current passes through the contact points only, to a commoncoil for all the cylinders and the'timing brush, then distributes a secondary or high tension current to the respective spark plugs. Q

The principal object of the present invent on is to provide an improved low tension timer constructed to eliminate defects arismg in the known timers, and one that requires a minimum of attention.

lVith the foregoing object outlined and with other objects in view, which will appearas the description proceeds, the inventlon consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Referring to the drawing s Figure 1 is a rear view of the improved timer withthe rear cover removed andcertain parts in section for the purpose of illustration. v I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, but with the movable parts in a different position from that occupied in Fig. 1 for the purpose of clearly illustrating the construction. I

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the means for locking the timer cover to an engine.

In the drawings 1 represents a timer shaft which is driven by any well knownmeans and to which is'fixed a hub 2 having a peripherally extending lug 3. A curved recoil check member 4: is secured to the lug by means of screws 5 and a curved leaf spring 6 has one of its ends secured betweenthe recoil check member and said lug and its other end carries a fiber or insulating block 7. The spring 6 is in electrical contact or connection with the recoilcheck member at all times, but in order to insulate the spring and check member from thelug 3, an insulating strip 8 is placed between the lug and springand insulation tubes 9 are placed around the screw 5.

The hub 2 is provided with alixed contact 10 which is screwed into the hub and is pro vided with a lock nut 11. 'The spring 6 carries a movable contact 12 designed to make and break the circuit with the contact 10.

The member :1. carries at one end a spring pressed brush 13, which when the members 10 and 12 are in engagement, is designed to impart current to conductor segments 14. These conductor segments are embedded in the rear face of the. cover plate 15 and this cover plate is formed of suitable insulatii'ig material, such as hard rubber or phenolic condensation product. The segments are arranged ninety degrees apart and conductor wires 16 extend from the same through the cover 15 to a terminal block 17 which is secured to the cover plate. Four conductor wires 18 extend from the terminal block to the four vibrator or transformer coils of the cylinders. The terminal block 17 is formed of any suitable insulating material and it is provided with four spaced plates 19 to which the wires 18 are connected by means of'screws 20.

The cover plate is designed to be locked to a casing 21 having a lever arm 22 for turning the casing and cover to vary the point or points of timing. In order to hold the casing and the cover against relative rotation, the casing is provided with an inwardly extending lug 23 which, as best shown in Fig. 2, is designed to enter a slot or depression 24L provided in the periphery of the cover. The entire timer is clamped to an engine 25 by means of a Hat spring clamp 28, one end of which engages the depression 29 in the cover 15 and the other end of which is secured by a screw or bolt 30 to the engine.

The interior of the casing 21 is provided with four cam pieces 26 arranged approximately ninety degrees apart and secured to the casing by suitable fastening means, such as screws 2 a In operation the casing and cover are movable only in certain limits, and the timer shaft in rotating will carry the fiber block 7 into contact with the cam pieces 26. This will cause the movable contact member 12 to move into engagement with the fixed contact 10 and at this time the brush 13 will be in contact with one of the conductor segments 14. Therefore, current will be passed from the timer shaft through hub 2, contacts 10 and 12, spring 6 and recoil check member 4, through the brush 13 and conductor segment let through the primary winding of an individual vibrator or transformer coil of the respective cylinder which, when interrupted, induces a secondary current in the winding of this coil, and thence to the spark plug of that cylinder. In case a plain transformer coil is used instead of vibrator coil, the secondary current is in duced in said coil when contact members 10 and 12 separate while brush '13 still maintains contact with conductor segment 14, thus interrupting the primary current.

I believe that the foregoing explanation will readily enable those skilled in the art to understand my construction-and appreciate the advantages of the invention, and I am aware that various changes and modi' fications may be made in the construction shown without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lVhEtt I claim and Letters Patent is 1. A contact making timer comprising a rotating member carrying a fixed contact, means including a resilient member provided with a movable contact designed to engage the fixed contact and also provided with a brush, a caslng in which the rotatable member rotates, a plurality of cam pieces located in the casing and designed to engage the resilient member for causing the contacts to engage one another 'each time the resilient member passes over a cam piece and a stationary member provided with a plurality of conductor segments designed to be engaged by said brush.

2. A contact making timer comprising a desire to secure by rotatable member having a fixed contact,

means carried by the rotatable member and including a resilient member having a movable contact designed to intermittently en gage the fixed contact, a brush carried by said means, a stationary casing provided with a plurality of cam pieces designed to cause movement of the resilient member during rotation of the rotatable member for moving the movable contact into engagement with the fixed contact, a cover plate for said casing having a face extending perpendicularly to the axis of the rotatable member, and a plurality of conductor segments carried by the cover plate and having faces arranged perpendicularly to the axis of said rotatable member and designed to be intermittently engaged by the brush.

3. A contact making timer com rising a rotatable member carrying a fixed contact, means insulated from the rotatable member and including a resilient member carrying a movable contact designed to intermittently engage the fixed contact, a brush carried by said means, a casing in which the rotatable member rotates, a plurality of cam pieces carried by the casing and designed to be engaged by the resilient member for engaging and disengaging said contacts, a cover plate provided with a plurality of spaced conductor members insulated from each other and designed to be intermittently engaged with said brush at the time said contacts are in en agement.

4:. K contact making timer comprising a rotatable member, provided with a peripheral lug, a recoil check member secured to said lug and insulated therefrom, a'resilient member having one of its ends secured between the recoil check member and said lug and insulated from said lug, a movable contact carried by the resilient member, a fixed contact carried by the rotatable member and designed to be intermittently engaged by the movable contact, a casing provided with means designed to be intermittently engaged by the resilient member for engaging and disengaging said contacts, a cover plate for said casing provided with a plurality of spaced conducting members, and a brush designed to engage one of said conducting members during the time that the contacts are in engagement.

5. A contact making timer comprising a rotatable member, provided with a peripheral lug, a fixed contact carried by the rotatable member, a curved recoil check member secured to said lug, a leaf spring having one of its ends secured between the recoil check member and saidlug and provided with a movable contact designed to intermittently engage the fixed contact, said recoil check member and the spring being inelectrical connection at all times and being insulated from said lug, a brush secured to one end of said recoil check member, an insulation block secured to one end of said spring, a

casing surrounding the rotatable member and provided with means designed to be engaged by said block for causing intermittent engagement and disengagement of said contacts, and a cover plate provided with a lurality of spaced conductor segments designed to be engaged by said brush, the parts being so located that the brush will be in engagement with one of said segments each time the contacts are in engagement.

6. A timer of the kind defined by claim 5 in which the faces of the segments which are engagedby said brush, are arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the rotatable member.

7. A timer comprising a rotatable member provided with a peripheral lug and a radially extending fixed contact, a recoil check member curved substantially concentric to the periphery of the rotatable member and secured to said lug, a spring cont'acting with one face of said recoil check member and having one of its ends secured between the recoil check member and said lug, means insulating the recoil check member and the spring from said lug, a fiber block secured to the other end of the spring and a movable contact carried by the intermediate portion of said spring, said movable contact being designed to intermittently engage the fixed contact, a brush carried by said recoil check member, a casing surrounding said rotatable member and provided with inwardly extending cam pieces designed to be engaged by said block during rotation of the rotatable member for moving the movable contact into engagement with the fixed contact, a cover plate connected to said casing and provided with a plurality of spaced segments, the faces of said segments lying in a plane perpendicularly to the axis of the rotatable member and being intermittently engaged by said brush, the parts being so arranged that said brush engages a segment each time the contacts are in engagement, and wires extending from said segments to the primary windings of the individual coils of a plural cylinder internal combustion engine.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

RALPH F. MEvER. 

